Tag Archives | Mini Nightshade

If you have been following JTT for a while, you’ll know that the Mini Nightshade isn’t just one of my favorite Vosteed designs, it is one of my favorite knives. The Nightshade, with its unique and useful Shilin Cutter shape, is what put Vosteed on my radar and I have been carrying one version or another of this knife for a while now. Now, I have my mitts on one of the most premium versions to date.

Specs

Blade Length: 2.60″ | 66.04 mm

Overall Length: 6.32″ | 160.53 mm

Blade Width: 1.13″ | 28.70 mm

Blade Thickness: 0.098″ | 2.49 mm

Blade Material: S35VN

Blade Grind: Flat

Blade Style: Shilin Cutter

Hardness: HRC 60±2

Handle Length: 3.71″ | 94.33 mm

Handle Width: 0.89″ | 22.60 mm

Handle Thickness: 0.437″ | 11.10 mm

Handle Material: Titanium

Weight: 2.59 oz | 73.40 g

Opener: Thumb Stud

Lock Type: Crossbar Lock

Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

Carry Position: Tip-up

Observations from Use

To me, the Mini Nightshade is all about performance and the performance is all about that blade! Do you want a knife that gives you easy access to a fine, useable tip? It does. Do you want thin blade stock that tapers to a thin, incredibly sharp and slicey edge via a full flat grind? It does. Do you want a shape that holds the material in the cut and has plenty of belly? It does.

These knives CUT!

They also manage to pack that performance into a very compact package. The Mini Nightshade is small enough to pull fifth pocket duty but large enough for a medium size hand to get all four fingers on the grip. It also happens to be a very slim design. It’s a Goldilocks size.

I also want to point out the weight. These knives are incredibly lightweight due to the partial liners and thin blade stock. This is the heaviest version yet and it is still well under 3 ounces at 2.6 ounces. Saying that “you’ll forget you are carrying it is a cliche”, but I genuinely have.

This is also the most premium version of this knife to date. It features sculpted titanium scales that are radiused for comfort and have a very attractive scalloped texture pattern. Vosteed also went premium with the blade steel. CPM S35VN is a great choice here as it can take a fine edge and has solid toughness to support the thin cutting geometry. It’s a great premium, powdered metallurgy option for this knife. While it isn’t a heavy knife by any stretch, it has a solid heft in the hand for such a compact knife.

Wrap Up

This is my favorite version of one of my favorite knives. The most important thing a knife must do is cut… and Vosteed goes all out with cutting performance on these knives. Secondly, you want a knife that is easy to live with and this is definitely that with it’s slim, lightweight design.

See full specs and all available colors: Vosteed.com

See all of the Nightshade family on the Vosteed Amazon Store with 20% off options: Amazon.com

Previous reviews of the Mini Nightshade including more budget-oriented options: Mini Nightshade Reviews on JTT

I’ve been fortunate to handle several Vosteed Cutlery knives at this point and the Mini Nightshade is still in my top 2 (alongside the Raccoon). The Nightshade series knives, with their unique Shilin Cutter shape, are the knives that really exemplify what I like about Vosteed – great functional shapes and materials, great prices, and some really bold designs.

Vosteed provided the latest version of the Mini Nightshade for me to check out.

Specs

Blade Length: 2.60″ | 66.04mm

Overall Length: 6.31″ | 160.37mm

Blade Width: 1.13″ | 28.28mm

Blade Thickness: 0.098″ | 2.49mm

Blade Material: 14C28N

Blade Grind: Flat

Blade Style: Shilin Cutter

Blade Finish: Stonewash

Hardness: HRC 60±2

Handle Length: 3.71″ | 94.33mm

Handle Width: 0.89″ | 22.6

Handle Thickness: 0.437″ | 11.10 mm

Weight: 2.16 oz | 61.10 g

Opener: Thumb Stud

Lock Type: Crossbar Lock

Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

Carry Position: Tip-up

There are other finishes and handle materials available but my review sample has a black-washed blade, green aluminum handles, and gold accents (thumb stud and backspacer).

Observations from Use

I have already written in-depth why I like the Mini Nightshade in the previous review which I suggest you check out. In this review, I’ll focus on the differences with this new aluminum scale version.

I expected this would just be a scale-swapped version of an already great knife but I was surprised to find that the aluminum scales changed the character of the Mini Nightshade a lot. The new scales are slightly thicker than the original G-10 version. It’s enough that you notice a difference. That extra thickness with the great machined texture makes this new version feel a little more capable… more ready to work.

Speaking of the texture, Vosteed gets a gold star for how they executed it. They machined a scalloped pattern into the scales that provides great grip out near the edges but tapers down to smooth at the center of the scale. This means the clip rides on the smooth part of the scale making it very easy to take in and out of the pocket. This is such a clever touch that works and looks great.

This version of the Mini Nightshade feels more substantial in the hand in part due to a slight weight increase but it is still an absolute feather-weight at just 2.16 ounces. That is incredibly light for an all-metal knife.

The Mini Nightshade was already a refined, gentemanly knife but this new version received even more refinements from Vosteed. The deep carry clip is now nested into the scale and they provided a filler tab for the side that is not in use. They even took care to slightly extend the thumb studs to account for the thicker scales. That is some solid attention to detail.

If you haven’t tried something from the Vosteed Nightshade series, you really should. This blade shape is incredible. It holds material in the cut and gives easy access to the point like a sheepsfoot or warncliffe style blade but also offers belly for slicing and draw cuts like a drop point or leaf shape blade. It’s unique and useful.

Wrap Up

This is new version of the Mini Nightshade from Vosteed builds on the back of an already great knife. The proven cutting geometry, useful blade shape, lightweight, and compact design are still there but with some additional refinements, new texture, and a great new look. This is my favorite version of the Mini Nightshade to date.

You can see the whole Nightshade range at Vosteed.com. Now is a great time to check them out as many of their knives are up to 20% off for Easter (no code required).

The new Mini Nightshades are also on sale and available at Amazon: Mini Nightshade on Amazon.com

I recently reviewed the Vosteed Cutlery Raccoon and, if you haven’t read that review, I liked it… a lot. In fact, that Raccoon is within reach as I type this even though this is a review about a different offering from Vosteed. The Nightshade, with it’s bold and unique blade shape, was the knife that put Vosteed on my radar. So, when they asked if I would like to try the Mini Nightshade, I jumped.

Specs

Blade Length: 2.60″ | 66.04mm

Overall Length: 6.31″ | 160.37mm

Blade Width: 1.13″ | 28.28mm

Blade Thickness: 0.098″ | 2.49mm

Blade Material: 14C28N

Blade Grind: Flat

Blade Style: Shilin Cutter

Blade Finish: Stonewash

Hardness: HRC 60±2

Handle Length: 3.71″ | 94.33mm

Handle Width: 0.89″ | 22.6

Handle Thickness: 0.42″ | 10.57

Weight: 1.80 oz | 51.00 g

Opener: Thumb Stud

Lock Type: Crossbar Lock

Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

Carry Position: Tip-up

There are other finishes and handle materials available but my review sample has a stone-washed blade, black G-10 handles, and red accents.

Observations from Use

You are probably like me and the first thing you notice about any of the knives in the Vosteed Nightshade series is the blade. That blade is what really sets it apart visually and functionally. It is a very unique leaf shape with a continuous curved edge and a point that sits well below the center line of the handle. This isn’t just a design gimmick. I have found that this makes using the tip of the knife for cuts very easy. It also allows you to make use of the curved edge for drawing or scoring cuts without having cock your wrist as much. Both of these are nice for some very common utility tasks like processing cardboard or opening boxes.

Apart from the unique and useful shape, the blade also boasts 14C28N steel which is excellent. The blade features a very tall flat grind which, coupled with the 0.098″ stock, makes this knife a very slicey, very aggressive cutter. Vosteed does a particularly good job tapering the thickness of this knife down to a very acute point so it cuts extremely well from heel to tip.

You may have noticed that I marked one of the stats above in orange text. The weight, or lack there of, on this knife is impressive. This knife comes in under 2 ounces which puts it squarely in the ultralight category of EDC knives. This category is very competitive lately and the price, features, and uniqueness of the Mini Nightshade make it very compelling.

The handle on this knife is excellent. The G-10 slabs are nicely rounded and chamfered for comfort. They also feature a subtle machine texture that is grippy without being rough on your pockets. The blade assembly, bearings, and cross-bar lock all ride in steel inserts that are precisely inlet into the underside of these slabs and the pocket clip threads into brass inserts in the slabs. This setup is rigid but very lightweight.

All of the little details that I have come to expect from Vosteed are present and part of what makes this feel like a great value. The deep carry clip has plenty of clearance for thicker fabrics like denim. There are anodized aluminum elements like the backspacer and thumb studs that provide some color. The ergonomics are on point, providing a full four-finger grip in a compact package.

I also want to bring special attention to the action on this knife. It is up there with the best of any knife I have tried and certainly the best on a cross-bar locking knife. You can’t get a crispy detent on cross-bar locks since the lock itself is the detent so, often, these knives don’t feel quite as snappy as something like a well-tuned liner lock or similar lock. The Mini Nightshade is an exception to that rule. It absolutely flies open when you load your thumb into the thumb stud and yet it also glides smoothly without wanting to outrun your thumb when you slow roll it open.

There are two things I would change. The first is the clip. I was surprised to find that the clip is surface-mounted on this knife and some sort of flush mounting setup like other Vosteed offerings would be nice for something this refined. Second, I would like to see some jumping added to the spine of the knife. This knife offers such great control over the tip and that would really be enhanced with some jumping about midway down the spine.

Wrap Up

The Mini Nightshade manages to pack an ultra-useful blade shape into a knife that straddles the line between EDC and gentleman’s carry. Its incredibly lightweight and compact design make it home as a fifth pocket carry while it’s ergonomic shape and full four-finger grip make it at home in your hand getting stuff done.

You can see the whole Nightshade range at Vosteed.com.

Or, check out the Mini Nightshade Cross-Bar Lock (on sale for 10% off at the time of this writing) at Amazon.com.